Cape Town – Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has called on a number of players who dispatched the Wallabies last week to double up against the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday (9.05am SA time kickoff).
Despite 12 players having travelled to New Zealand last week already, Nienaber didn’t choose all of those squad members on Tuesday for what is likely to be the Rugby Championship title decider at the Mount Smart Stadium.
Instead, having made the long trek to the east following the emphatic 43-12 victory over Australia at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend, fullback Willie le Roux, centre Lukhanyo Am and the front row of Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe will start again in Auckland.
In addition, most of the bench who featured in Pretoria will have to stand up again in New Zealand, including props Thomas du Toit and Vincent Koch, lock RG Snyman, loose forwards Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen, and halfbacks Grant Williams and Manie Libbok.
But there is a new-look loose trio in Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert and Jasper Wiese, while Eben Etzebeth will captain the team at No 4 alongside regular lock partner Lood de Jager.
The backline has been refreshed too, with Faf de Klerk and Damian Willemse at scrumhalf and flyhalf, Damian de Allende at inside centre, and experienced wings Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi.
“We planned to select a squad with a few key combinations of players who are fully acclimatised and settled in in New Zealand, while also selecting some players who started last week, and we are pleased with the balance we were able to strike with this squad,” Nienaber said on Tuesday.
“This allows us to give some players their first taste of international rugby this season alongside a group of players who come off a physical clash against the Wallabies, and we believe this will be beneficial against a top opponent in the All Blacks.
“The fact that we can give a few other players in the bigger squad a run this weekend is fantastic as we want to give as many players as possible game time with an eye on doing well in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship and further ahead in the Rugby World Cup.
“Eben has been working very hard in the last few months to make a full recovery from his shoulder injury and it’s great to see him return to the field in this important fixture.
“He’s a vastly experienced player with 110 Test caps, he’s captained the Springboks before and he has been with the group of players in New Zealand for over a week, so he is the ideal person to lead the team this weekend.”
Springbok team: 15 Willie le Roux 14 Cheslin Kolbe 13 Lukhanyo Am 12 Damian de Allende 11 Makazole Mapimpi 10 Damian Willemse 9 Faf de Klerk 8 Jasper Wiese 7 Franco Mostert 6 Kwagga Smith 5 Lood de Jager 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain) 3 Frans Malherbe 2 Bongi Mbonambi 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx 17 Thomas du Toit 18 Vincent Koch 19 RG Snyman 20 Pieter-Steph du Toit 21 Duane Vermeulen 22 Grant Williams 23 Manie Libbok.
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